Spring...finally!

Spring has been reluctant and petulant this year and regardless of how hard we try to not let it affect our mood, it has.  Winter in the north can be both exhilarating and exasperating, often at the same time. Last week at this time, we were anticipating two to four inches of snow and hoping it would be the last of the season. Snow in April isn't unheard of, but it's not welcomed no matter how quickly it melts.

OhNo and Sunny don't mind the snow.

Well, we got seven inches here at Our Little Acre and some areas close to us got as much as ten.    There were some crocuses blooming before the snow, but they aren't as bothered by it as we are and now that the temperature has risen into the 50s, the snow is gone and the crocuses are fine.

Chionodoxa

Romie and I walked around the yard last evening and looked at the spring flowers - what there was of them - and noted that most of the usual suspects were at least poking out of the ground, even if they weren't blooming.

There were snowdrops, hellebores, Dutch hyacinths, Eranthis, reticulated iris, Puschkinia, species tulips, hybrid tulips, Chionodoxa, daffodils, and crocus, of course.  But only the snowdrops, hellebores, Eranthis, and some of the crocus were in bloom.

What a difference a day makes!  Today, the reticulated iris, and a few Chionodoxa were open.

Iris reticulata 'Spring Time'

 
But the crocus...ohhhh the crocus!  There were many more of them and this is their day, their time to shine.

Crocus sieberi 'Tricolor'

Crocus 'Advance'

 

Crocus sieberi 'Tricolor'

 

Crocus sieberi 'Tricolor'

Crocus chrysanthus 'Prins Claus'

Crocus chrysanthus 'Fuscotinctus'

Crocus chrysanthus 'Prins Claus'

Last year, the hot - yes, HOT - weather in March put the spring blooming in overdrive and we had such a short time to enjoy it.  The joy of a slow and leisurely spring is a longer bloom time for those gaudy flowers we wait all winter to see.